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In the United States, the term constitutional carry, also called permitless carry,[1]unrestricted carry,[2] or Vermont carry,[3] refers to the legal public carrying of a handgun, either openly or concealed, without a license or permit.[4][5][3] The phrase does not typically refer to the unrestricted carrying of a long gun, a knife, or other weapons. The scope and applicability of constitutional carry may vary by state.[6]
The phrase "constitutional carry" reflects the fact that the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does not allow restrictions on gun rights, including the right to carry or bear arms.[7][8]
The U.S. Supreme Court had never extensively interpreted the Second Amendment until the landmark case District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008.[9] Prior to this, a tapestry of different and sometimes conflicting laws about carrying firearms developed across the nation.[10] In deciding the case, the Court found that self-defense was a "...central component of the 2nd Amendment" and D.C.'s handgun ban was invalidated. The Court further stated that some state or local gun controls are allowed. The Heller case was extended by the Supreme Court in the 2010 decision McDonald v. Chicago, which held that the 2nd and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution were "fully incorporated" and thus the right to "...keep and bear arms applies to the states and not 'in a watered-down version' but 'fully applicable'...", and limits state and local governments in enacting laws that restrict this individual and fundamental right to "...keep and bear arms", for self-defense. In the 2022 decision New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen the Supreme Court went further, affirming a right to public carry of firearms and imposing a strict new standard of scrutiny on state-level firearms laws based on the text, history, and tradition of the second amendment.
^"Kansas: Permitless Carry Bill to Receive Vote Tomorrow on Senate Floor". NRA-ILA. February 25, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
^Schiller, Henry J.; Matos, Miguel A.; Zielinski, Martin D.; Bailey, Kent R.; Hernandez, Matthew C.; Hamill, Mark E. (January 1, 2019). "State Level Firearm Concealed-Carry Legislation and Rates of Homicide and Other Violent Crime". Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 228 (1): 1–8. doi:10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2018.08.694. ISSN 1072-7515. PMID 30359832.
^ ab"Maine lawmaker submits 'Constitutional Carry' bill". Bangor Daily News. February 26, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
^"Arizona to allow concealed weapons without permit". Fox News. Associated Press. April 16, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
^Gehrke, Robert (February 24, 2011). "'Constitutional Carry' law stalls in committee". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
^NRA-ILA. "NRA Advisory Notice Concerning North Dakota Permitless Carry Law". Retrieved August 5, 2017.
^Sullum, Jacob (March 30, 2022). "Handgun Carry Permits Transform a Right Into a Privilege". reason.com. Reason. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
^Hoffman, Gabriella (March 30, 2022). "Constitutional carry isn't a fringe policy". www.washingtonexaminer.com. Washington Examiner. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
^Louisiana Law Review (April 1, 2010). "District of Columbia v. Heller: The Second Amendment Shoots One Down".
^Congressional Research Service (September 7, 2016). "Post-Heller Second Amendment Jurisprudence" (PDF).
and 28 Related for: Constitutional carry information
States, the term constitutionalcarry, also called permitless carry, unrestricted carry, or Vermont carry, refers to the legal public carrying of a handgun...
reason, Vermont is the first state to have constitutionalcarry, also known as "permitless carry" or "Vermont carry". [neutrality is disputed] However, Vermont's...
laws, with more than half of the states legalizing "Constitutionalcarry" (unrestricted concealed carry) and the remaining "May-issue" licensing laws being...
permit to carry a weapon on one's person, openly or concealed. This is known in the U.S. as constitutionalcarry. The phrase "constitutionalcarry" reflects...
concealed carry via a permit or license, or via constitutionalcarry. Illinois was the last state to pass a law allowing for concealed carry, with license...
23, 2017, a bill permitting constitutionalcarry was signed by Governor Doug Burgum. As of August 1, 2017, people carrying concealed without a concealed...
United States to allow licensed open carry. On February 27, 2019, Governor Kevin Stitt signed constitutionalcarry into law. The law became effective on...
Action has also advocated against constitutionalcarry, also known as permitless carry, unrestricted carry, or Vermont carry, which refers to legislation that...
United States, open carry refers to the practice of visibly carrying a firearm in public places, as distinguished from concealed carry, where firearms cannot...
Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises...
weapon. Permitless carry outside city limits was already legal for all persons aged 18 or older. Idaho was the ninth "constitutionalcarry" or permitless...
Hampshire has been a constitutionalcarry state, requiring no license to open carry or concealed carry a firearm in public. Concealed carry permits are still...
resolutions. Maine is a constitutionalcarry (permitless concealed or open carry) and "shall issue" state for concealed carry. The issuing authority for...
congressional district. Sabatini has supported Constitutionalcarry legislation to allow Floridians to carry concealed firearms without first acquiring a...
Abbott, open carry is fully legal for anyone over 21 years of age since September 1, 2021. Known by supporters as “constitutionalcarry,” House Bill 1927...
the Court struck down New York's "may issue" policy of granting concealed carry licenses, and further held that any regulation of firearms in the United...
governor, Haslam said he would sign a constitutionalcarry bill, but as governor, he opposed constitutionalcarry. Haslam is against abortion. As Governor...
to by gun rights advocates as an "Alaska carry," as opposed to a "Vermont carry" (or "Constitutionalcarry"), where gun licenses are neither issued nor...
Sununu Signs ConstitutionalCarry Legislation". Governor Christopher T. Sununu. Retrieved November 13, 2021. "Gov. Sununu signs concealed carry bill into...
passage of no-permit Constitutionalcarry. In April 2015, NAGR supported Kansas bill SB 45, which allows for Constitutionalcarry. NAGR representatives...
bill allowing individuals to purchase and carry handguns without a permit, a policy known as constitutionalcarry. Later that month, she signed legislation...
expired on September 13, 2004, following its sunset provision. Several constitutional challenges were filed against provisions of the ban, but all were rejected...
DeHaven, James. "GOP introduces long-shot bill to make Nevada a 'constitutionalcarry' state for gun owners". Reno Gazette Journal. Retrieved December...
a license is not required to carry concealed in certain manners (see above), effectively legalizing constitutionalcarry. Additionally, churches are now...
became one of three chief petitioners for the grassroots group, ConstitutionalCarry for Oregon (CCFO). CCFO is attempting to add one sentence to the...
and places where it is legal to carry a weapon. Background on the confusion that surrounded Act 746: While constitutional gun rights advocates and most...
Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the Lautenberg amendment is constitutional. Chovan claimed that his civil rights had been restored due to California...
that regulates the firearms industry and firearms ownership. Due to constitutional limitations, the Act is primarily based on regulating interstate commerce...
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